Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) vehemently condemns FIFA's decision to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia.

The November 30th release of the 2034 World Cup Bid Evaluation Report, assigning Saudi Arabia an "average" human rights rating, is a shocking failure to address the Kingdom's egregious human rights record.

WJWC demands immediate intervention from the Working Group on Business and Human Rights to compel Saudi Arabia to make legally binding commitments to meaningful human rights reforms before the tournament commences (official announcement expected December 11th).

This decision, WJWC argues, transcends mere sport; it constitutes a shameful whitewashing of the Kingdom's systematic persecution of journalists, activists, and migrant workers.  It sends a chilling message prioritizing financial gain and geopolitical interests over fundamental human rights.

The bid evaluation relied heavily on a report from AS&H Clifford Chance, a London-based law firm with a Riyadh office. This report selectively cites UN reports and special rapporteurs' findings, presenting a skewed and incomplete picture of the Kingdom's human rights situation.

FIFA claims a Saudi Arabian World Cup could drive positive human rights change, citing "significant opportunities for positive human rights impact."  However, this assessment appears predicated solely on promises within Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030, ignoring its demonstrable disregard for civil and political rights.

WJWC has raised serious concerns with the Working Group on Business and Human Rights and other relevant stakeholders about FIFA's flawed bidding process.  The evaluation failed to meet international human rights standards and due diligence obligations, a critical oversight for an event of this magnitude.  Clifford Chance's report, commissioned for the assessment, notably excluded key human rights issues that should have been central to the evaluation.

WJWC urges immediate action from the Working Group on Business and Human Rights and other stakeholders.  FIFA must conduct an independent reassessment of the human rights impact, ensuring the implementation of meaningful reforms that go beyond superficial modernization efforts by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This reassessment must adhere to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and other relevant international frameworks.

FIFA's Violations of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights:

FIFA's actions demonstrate a clear disregard for the UN Guiding Principles, evidenced by:

• Rushed Timeline and Inadequate Due Diligence: FIFA's October 4th, 2023, request for simultaneous 2030 and 2034 World Cup bids—allowing only 27 days for responses—created a rushed process. Saudi Arabia's swift candidacy and endorsement by the Asian Football Confederation effectively eliminated competition, severely limiting opportunities for proper human rights due diligence. This contradicts FIFA's human rights policy and the UN Guiding Principles, which emphasize thorough assessment of potential negative impacts.
• Failure to Conduct a Comprehensive Human Rights Impact Assessment: The rushed timeline undermined FIFA's Human Rights Policy and the UN Guiding Principles. The lack of a thorough assessment of actual and potential human rights impacts violates Principle 17. Empty assurances from Saudi Arabia, lacking concrete commitments, are insufficient. Clifford Chance's incomplete evaluation further compromises the credibility of the "average" human rights rating.
• Lack of Binding Human Rights Commitments: FIFA's support for Saudi Arabia's bid demonstrates a disregard for human rights. Ignoring the absence of binding human rights commitments—acknowledged in its own assessment—violates Principles 13(a) and 13(b) of the UN Guiding Principles. This failure to conduct proper due diligence, including consultation with independent human rights experts, renders FIFA's assessment fundamentally flawed.
• The FIFA and Clifford Chance report's failure to comply with Principle 18 of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights is deeply concerning. The report demonstrably failed to identify and assess the significant human rights impacts of the Saudi Arabian World Cup, including community displacement, the exploitation of migrant workers, and the apparent attempt to whitewash the Kingdom's human rights record. This lack of due diligence is further compounded by the report's complete disregard for the human rights consequences of associated construction projects, such as land confiscation and the exploitation of migrant labor.
• Failure to Consider the Kingdom’s Human Rights Record: The FIFA and Clifford Chance report inadequately addressed Saudi Arabia's human rights record, especially concerning migrant workers essential to the World Cup's infrastructure projects (eleven stadiums, over 185,000 hotel rooms, new transport links). While Saudi Arabia claims worker protections, independent reports consistently reveal unsafe conditions, illegal recruitment fees, unpaid wages, and numerous unexplained migrant worker deaths (e.g., a Guardian investigation documented at least 13,685 deaths among Bangladeshi workers between 2008 and 2022).  Restrictions on freedom of expression and press freedom stifle reporting on abuses.  The NEOM project, with its displacement of local residents, further exacerbates human rights concerns.  The report's failure to address these issues demonstrates a significant oversight.

The Clifford Chance Report: A Whitewash:

AS&H Clifford Chance's assessment, rather than providing a thorough evaluation, presented a limited and misleading portrayal of Saudi Arabia's human rights record.  It effectively whitewashes abuses under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's tenure, marked by mass executions, torture, enforced disappearances, severe restrictions on freedom of expression, and suppression of women's rights.  The report fails to address the abusive *kafala* system, the ban on trade unions, and the lack of labor law enforcement.

The report's credibility is compromised by:

• A narrowly defined scope dictated by Saudi authorities.
• A lack of engagement with independent civil society organizations.
• Restrictions imposed by Saudi Arabia on Clifford Chance, undermining its independence.
• An insufficient timeline for comprehensive due diligence.

The report ignores arbitrary detention, torture, lack of judicial independence, and selectively references UN findings while neglecting crucial frameworks like the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers.  It overlooks widespread condemnation of torture and ill-treatment in Saudi prisons and the risks faced by victims of sexual assault who report their experiences.  A labor complaint filed at the UN by Building and Wood Workers International further highlights serious labor rights issues.

WJWC's Call to Action:

Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) urges the Working Group on Business and Human Rights and other relevant mandate holders to:

1. Demand a Credible Human Rights Assessment: Commission an independent, comprehensive human rights impact assessment, free from government influence, including consultations with all relevant stakeholders.
2. Secure Binding Human Rights Commitments: If FIFA proceeds, it must secure legally binding commitments from Saudi Arabia for substantial human rights reforms, including:

• An end to arbitrary arrest and persecution of critics.
• Guaranteed freedom of expression and opinion.
• Prevention of worker exploitation and protection of migrant workers' rights.
• The right for trade unions to operate freely.
• Ratification of relevant international human rights treaties.

WJWC emphasizes that any assessment failing to fully acknowledge the significant human rights risks associated with hosting the World Cup in Saudi Arabia is unacceptable.